Variables
by snarryvader81
Summary: A short discussion with Walburga Black seconds before Sirius boards the Hogwarts Express in his first year scares him enough to allow the Sorting Hat to put him in Slytherin. Big changes occur in the story as a result. SSLE, eventual SSSB SLASH Severitus
1. Prologue

Platform Nine and Three Quarters was bustling with activity on September First, 1971. Weepy mothers and proud fathers hugged their children goodbye. Animals ran around underfoot. Luggage was loaded onto the train, and the Hogwarts Express itself, in all its shiny red glory, made the occasional mechanical noise, as if to remind the parents and soon-to-be students that it was only a matter of minutes before they had to part ways for the next months.

"Now remember, Sirius," said a shrill voice, "Remember – Slytherin. You must get sorted into Slytherin. It would dishonor the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black if you were placed otherwise, do you hear me?!"

A little boy with black hair and grey eyes, who couldn't have been older than eleven, gulped and nodded, looking up at his mother.

"And remember everything else I've told you!" she continued. "No associating with Gryffindors, and I do not want to even hear _one word_ about you having been talking to some filthy mudblood, do you understand me, Sirius?"

The boy nodded again.

"It _will_ get back to me! And I'll burn you off the family tree, that's what I'll do! Disown you! Throw you out onto the streets!"

Sirius gulped again. He wasn't very sure what had brought about this sudden discussion (as he hadn't mentioned anything about not getting sorted into Slytherin or about talking with mudbloods), but he was sure that he never wanted his mother to talk to him like this again.

"Blood traitor, they'd call you!" Walburga ranted. "No son of mine would ever end up being labeled a blood traitor!!" She eyed him suspiciously for a moment. "Now – is your luggage on the train already?"

"Yes, Mother," Sirius replied quietly.

"Good. I expect you home at Christmastime. Goodbye." Without further ado, Walburga Black spun around and disappeared into the crowd of children and parents.

On the other side of the Platform, another discussion was taking place, but it was decidedly opposite of Sirius and Walburga's.

"I don't know why he has to go to a – a – a freakish school!" Tobias Snape hissed at his wife, cautiously eyeing the wizards and witches on the platform.

"Tobias—" Eileen Snape began, her voice hushed, but her husband cut her off.

"It was bad enough, what with all that – that bloody _accidental magic_ – blowing things up with his mind, turning people's hair colors – but I don't see why we couldn't just pass him off as _normal_, send him to a _normal_ school—"

"Father," Severus Snape cut in. The black haired boy stared up at his father with equally black eyes. "My luggage is already on the train and it's about to leave – I have to go."

Tobias huffed. Eileen got down on her knees and pulled Severus to her in a tight hug. The boy managed to squirm out the embrace after several seconds.

"Bye," he shouted over his shoulder, racing in the direction of the train.

Eileen waved back, but Tobias roughly grabbed her arm and pulled her away.

With a sigh, Severus Snape stepped onto the Hogwarts Express for the first time, marking the beginning of his future as a very important wizard.

* * *

**Author's Note:** This is a little idea I thought up today. It'll start out as Lily/Severus but will end up Sirius/Severus by the end. It should cover all the way through Severus and Sirius's school days to after Harry's graduated. Oh, and Severus will be Harry's father in this story, so if you don't like that (or slash) you should probably not read any further (but none of that will happen for a long time). 


	2. The Cousins From Hell

Sirius anxiously drummed his fingers on the seat next to him, his thoughts dwelling on his mother's words. He knew that deep down, he wasn't as Slytherin as he would like his mother to think. He found he had more bravery than cunning and more boldness than slyness. In fact, he thought that it wasn't a very good thing to be willing to use any means to achieve his ends.

To put it shortly, he was more Gryffindor than Slytherin.

Not that he'd ever admit to it. He knew that his mother was most definitely _not_ kidding about disowning him. The Blacks were a very old and proud Wizarding family who had all been in Slytherin for generations. If you were a Black, you were expected to be in Slytherin, grow up to marry a Slytherin pureblood (even if it was a cousin), and then have several beautiful Slytherin children who would repeat the process.

Sirius had heard stories of family members who had been unfortunate enough to be burnt off the family tree – Isla Black, whose scandalous marriage to that muggle was _still_ talked about all these years later; that blood traitor Phineas Black who thought those filthy muggles should have rights; Marius Black, who had had the bad luck to be born a squib; and then of course there was his great-aunt Cedrella who married Septimus Weasley. There was never a bigger bunch of blood traitors than _that_ overproducing pack of redheads.

Sirius bit his lip. What would he do if he was disowned? Could his mother even do that while he was underage? He wasn't sure . . . but was it really the end of the world if he did let the Hat put him somewhere else? Did he even have any sway over the Hat's decision? Would it be that bad if he was disowned? It wasn't as if he particularly close to any of his family . . . But then again, he'd have to go back to live with them over the summer holidays . . . He didn't think they'd harm him, but then again . . .

"Cousin Sirius," a sickly sweet voice hissed, startling the boy and pulling him from his thoughts. His head snapped around to look at the compartment door, where Bellatrix Black and her sister, Narcissa, were standing, staring at him. Both scowled as if he was something foul-smelling.

"Bella," he said warily. "Narcissa. What are you doing here?"

"We just wanted to come and see you," replied Narcissa. "It is the start of your very first year, after all. Must we have an ulterior motive?"

_Yes._ "No – no – of course not."

Narcissa strutted into the small compartment and sat down across from him, while Bellatrix took her seat right next to him, leaning into his personal space.

"So," Bellatrix began conversationally, "How are your parents?"

"Fine," Sirius answered nervously. He knew his cousins weren't here just to talk about his parents.

"Aunt Walburga? I haven't seen her since last Christmas – she looked rather peaked – told me she had a touch of the flu."

Sirius nodded jerkily. "She did."

"I trust it cleared up?"

"Yes."

"How is your brother? Regulus?"

"He's fine."

"I haven't seen him in awhile . . . lovely boy – Slytherin to the core. I'm sure Uncle Orion and Aunt Walburga are very proud of him."

"They are," Sirius replied.

"What House do you want to be in, Sirius?"

And there it was – the real reason they wanted to speak to him. Bella didn't beat around the bush much, did she?

Sirius hesitated. "Slytherin."

"You'd better," Bella hissed in his ear. Her face was suddenly only centimeters from his ear. "I've known you ever since you were born, Sirius, and I've been watching you – you might be Walburga's son, but I don't think you're anything like her."

_Good_. "What do you mean, Bellatrix?"

Bella fell back so that she was sitting a more tolerable distance away from him. "I won't have you embarrass our family, Sirius," she said, standing up. Narcissa stood up with her. "I won't have you embarrass Aunt Walburga and Uncle Orion. I'll be watching you, Sirius . . ."

With one last, threatening look over her shoulder, Bellatrix and her sister left the compartment.

Sirius swallowed nervously. Slytherin it was, then.

Come hell or high water, he'd get that bloody Sorting Hat to put him in Slytherin!

* * *

**Author's Note: **I've had writer's block forever!! I'm not very happy with this chapter, but the next one will probably focus much more on Severus (and I'll try to make it longer).

Sorry about the wait! I hope you like it. Please review!!!!

Thanks,

Snarryvader81 (aka Anna)


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